The present invention relates to devices for securing, or mooring boats on a water surface, in situations where the level of the water surface may vary from time to time as, for example, in rivers with flood control dams, lakes where the level of the water in the lake is periodically adjusted, stream where rapid changes in level occur, or even in control areas where the tide ebbs and flows.
Additionally, there are naturally occurring situations where water level changes rapidly, as for example in uncontrolled water ways, and where the use of fixed attachment for mooring a boat can leave the boat hanging out of the water when the water level drops, or can cause the boat to sink in the converse situation when the water level rises rapidly, and where the boat owner or tender does not have time to make adjustments in the moorings. In such instances it is necessary to frequently monitor changes in the water level and have someone on call to make adjustments in the moorings for the boats.
Prior art devices are known for mooring boats or other floating objects, and one example of such an arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,430,598 where a floating arrangement is provided with a disc adapted to longitudinally receive a shaft at each end of a boat so that the boat can rise and fall with changes in the level of the water. In the arrangements shown in the reference the discs are intended to be permanently received by the shaft and no means is provided for removal fo the disc from the shafts other than by lifting the disc over the free ends of the shafts. Further, the shafts disclosed by the reference are intended to be sunk into the bottom below the water level and provide no means for securing the shaft other than the depth to which the shaft is sunk in the bottom. Further, no suggestion is provided for means of lengthening or otherwise securing the shafts to the bottom below the water level.
Another mooring arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,283 where a pivotable device is shown to receive and hold a boat.
Other mooring devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,912.953; 2,983,243; Re. 27,050; 3,993,013; 4,309,954.
However, none of the arrangements taught by the prior art references, describe the features or advantages provided by the Applicant's invention as set out hereinafter.
Specifically, none of the prior art references teaches a mooring device including a shaft extending upwardly from the surface of a body of water upon which the floating object to be moored is located, where a split ring is provided with the split being wide enough to receive the shaft therethrough and where locking means are provided to secure the ring around the shaft yet allow longitudinal movement of the ring with respect to the shaft so that the floating object can be retained on the shaft.
Moreover, none of the prior art references teach, or suggest arrangements to allow adjustments of the height of the shaft in response to change in the level of the water or provide means to facilitate the movement of the ring on the shaft as now disclosed hereinafter.